MILWAUKEE SCHOOL OF ENGINEERING EE 2050 LABORATORY EXPERIMENT 2 Week 2 SERIES and PARALLEL CIRCUITS

EE 2050

Goal: To investigate the relationship between resistance, current and voltage in series and parallel circuits. Background: A resistor is a device which is placed in an electrical circuit for the purpose of influencing some voltage or current. Wires, light bulbs, and heater elements in a toaster, electric stove, or electric hair dryer also exhibit resistance. In a light bulb electrical energy is converted into light and heat, while in wires, heater elements and typical resistors, the electrical energy is converted into heat.

Figure 1a. Lamp and resistor

Figure 1b. Lamp in a lampholder

Never use an Ohmmeter in a live circuit. Voltage from a circuit can damage an Ohmmeter. Always use the measured value of resistance for all calculations. When measuring voltage, the voltmeter must be connected across the circuit. When measuring current, break the circuit and insert the ammeter into the circuit.

Procedure: A. Voltage/Current relationship in a Series Circuit. 1. (a) Measure the resistance (using an Ohmmeter) of each of the two resistors: Rx (220 Ohm resistor , color code: red - red - brown) = ________Ohms

Ry (330 Ohm resistor, color code: orange - orange - brown) = ________Ohms

(b) Calculate the current and the voltage for each resistor in Figure 2 . Enter the calculated values in the table.
Rx 220 Ohms

Ix

+
Vs 8 Volts

Vx

Iy

Vx = __________ Vy = __________

DC

Vy

Ry 330 Ohms

Ix = __________ Iy = __________

Figure 2. Two resistors connected in series across an 8 V DC source

(c) Build the circuit of Figure 2 and measure the voltage and current for each resistor. Enter the measured values in the table below. Compare the measured results with the calculated results (use actual resistor values).
Measured Voltage or Current Calculated Voltage or Current Difference (Measured Calculated) % Error (Difference/Calculated) x 100

Vx Vy Ix Iy

2.

(a) Measure the resistance of each of the two light bulbs using an Ohmmeter. Resistance of LB1 _____________. Resistance of LB2 _____________ (b) Calculate the current and voltage for each light bulb in Figure 3 using the resistance values from part 2a.

Ix

LB1

Vx = __________

+
Vs 8 Volts

Vx

Iy

Vy = __________ Ix = __________

DC

Vy

LB2

Iy = ___________

Figure 3. Two light bulbs connected in series across an 8 V DC source.

(c) Build the circuit of Figure 3 and measure the voltage and current in each light bulb. Compare the measured results with the results obtained in 2b.
Measured Voltage or Current Calculated Voltage or Current Difference (Measured Calculated) % error (Difference/Calculated) x 100

Vx Vy Ix Iy

How much power is absorbed by each light bulb (use measured values to compute)? Observe the intensity of the light from the light bulb. Power in LB1 = ____________ Power in LB2 = _____________

3. Compare the % error obtained in (1c) with that obtained in (2c).

% Error in (1c) Resistors Vx Vy Ix Ix

% Error in (2c) Light Bulbs

Explain the differences in % error between the two sets of measurements.

Compare the resistances of a hot and a cold light bulb (which is larger?).

What is the general relationship between power absorbed and light intensity?

B. Voltage and Current relationship in a Parallel Circuit. 1. Measure the resistance (using an Ohmmeter) of a 100 Ohm resistor (color code: Brown - black - brown). 100 Ohm resistor = ______________Ohms Calculate the current and voltage in each branch of the circuit shown in figure 4 and record the calculated values below (hint: write KCL at node 1, and KVL around left loop, and also around outer loop. Solve simultaneous equations with calculator):
I1 R1 100 Ohms

V1 = ______
1 I2 I3

+
DC

V1

+
V2

V2 = ______
R3 330 Ohms

+
R2 220 Ohms B V3

Vs 8 Volts

V3 = ______ I1 = ______ I2 = ______ I3 = ______

Figure 4. Series Parallel Circuit

2.

Build the circuit of figure 4 and measure the voltage and current for each branch and record the measured values. Compare the measured results with the calculated results obtained in 1. Measured Values Calculated Values % Error
(Measured-Calculated) x 100 Calculated

V1 = _________ V2 = _________ V3 = _________ I1 = _________ I2 = _________ I3 = _________

_________ _________ _________ _________ _________ _________

__________ __________ __________ __________ __________ __________

3. From the results obtained above verify KCL at node (1) and KVL at loop (A)